Digital Foundry Direct Weekly 173: PS5 Pro, CRT Tech, and PC Port Improvements

Hardware Leaks and Technical Analysis

PS5 Pro: RDNA 4 and Ray Tracing Enhancements

• The panel discusses leaked RDNA 4 specifications for the anticipated PS5 Pro. Key technical highlights include a doubling of ray tracing intersection engines, enhancements for RT instance node transformations, and potential BVH footprint improvements.
• While these improvements suggest performance gains in ray tracing tasks, the team notes the absence of specific traversal acceleration hardware, which is critical for high-end path tracing.
• The consensus is that while the PS5 Pro will likely offer better image quality through potential PSSR use and higher native resolutions, it is unlikely to perform revolutionary path tracing feats in AAA titles compared to high-end NVIDIA hardware.

The Future of High Refresh Rate Displays

• A technical deep dive into a CRT setup achieving an impressive 700Hz refresh rate. While the resolution is extremely low (320x120), it highlights the unique capabilities of analog display tech that modern LCDs struggle to emulate perfectly.
• The team discusses the potential for CRT motion clarity and whether modern ultra-high refresh rate OLEDs (like the 240Hz/480Hz tiers) are finally reaching a point where they can rival the motion persistence clarity of classic CRTs.

Industry News and Platform Issues

Xbox One Update Loop

• A significant issue has surfaced where original Xbox One (VCR model) units are failing to complete necessary online updates, effectively soft-bricking the consoles for users attempting factory resets. Microsoft is now aware of this issue.
• This raises serious questions about the longevity of modern hardware that relies on online authentication, moving the discussion toward the importance of offline installation alternatives for game preservation.

CPU Market Updates

• AMD has delayed the launch of their Ryzen 9000 series processors by a few weeks citing unspecified "quality issues," sparking speculation about potential motherboard interfacing problems.
• Meanwhile, Intel has provided an update regarding 13th and 14th Gen instability issues. The panel remains critical of the current response, suggesting that a full recall or replacement program may be necessary despite proposed microcode updates.

Community Topics and Q&A

PC Porting and Modding

• Discussion on Fallout: London, a massive Fallout 4 expansion, praised for its professional production values despite the technical hurdles of modifying a modern PC game.
• The team reflects on the 13 recommendations to improve PC ports. While progress has been made regarding shader compilation stutters and the inclusion of multiple upscaling options, other areas like consistent UI navigation and HDR implementation remain inconsistent.

"I think it does seem ambitious. Namely, there's no mention of some sort of traversal acceleration here."

"It's not good to just have hardware just cease functioning because of some online arbitrary update."